What to do if I bought a used car and the next day found out that it needsmajor repairs?
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What to do if I bought a used car and the next day found out that it needsmajor repairs?
I bought a car from a guy who said in his ad that the car works great. I drove the car for 1 mile on test drive and thought it was running okay. i took his verbal word and his written ad for granted saying the car runs smooth and has no problem. However the very next day when i took the car to my work place on the way it showed me the check engine light. I stopped using the car and took it to a mechanic. They said i would have to spend at least $1,000 to $1,500 to fix the problem. I bought the car for $3,800 and I have no intention to spend $1,500 (I can’t).
Asked on February 1, 2012 under General Practice, Pennsylvania
Answers:
MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Unfortunately, what you did was buy a used car as is. In an "as is" sale, there is no warranty and you run the risk of something being wrong with the motor vehicle. As a result, what should happen next time is you arrange to have your mechanic look at the car before you buy it and that way you are ensured you won't lose out. The person's advertisement stating the car runs great or smooth is called puffing. Puffing is merely statements of opinion and not really facts; they are more like exaggerations. You can certainly try to sue the person in small claims court, but his defense will be you purchased the car "as is."
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